Removal of waste rayon from bobbins



Nov. 24, 1942. M. L. HUDSON 2,303,043

REMOVAL OF WASTE RAYON FROM BQBBINS Filed May 22,. 1941 e Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 24, 1942. M. HUDSON REMOVAL OF WASTE RAYON FROM BOBBINS Filed May 22', 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 am N Malimlzfadrm "Q Nov. 24, 1942. M. L. HUDSON REMOVAL OF WASTE RAYON FROM BOBBINS Filed May 22, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 grime/rm l .llaulimlladlm Nov. 24, 1942.

M. L. HUDSON REMOVAL OF WASTE RAYON FRQM BOBBINS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 22, 1941 m 1 M. M

M L HUDSON jREMOYAL" OFF WASTE RAYON FROM BOBBINS .Flled May 22,- 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Iii-I 3 rwm vbob flawlimLMaa i atented Nov. 24, 1942 REMOVAL or WASTE RAYON FROM BOBBINS Moulton L. Hudson, Erika, N. C., assignor to American Enka. Corporation, Enka, N. 0., a corporation of Delaware Application May 22, 1941, Serial No. 394,731

(Cl. 28-19) I /-can be mechanically or otherwise relieved of the ll) Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus employed in the textile industry for stripping residual strand material from bobbins and the like. More particularly the invention concerns an apparatus for stripping residual orwastc yarn from bobbins wherein the yarn body is severed to facilitate its removal.

While this invention is of wide applicability in connection with the removal of yarn from holders of all types, it is of particular utility in connection with the removal of waste yarn from the perforate tubular bobbins employed in the manufacture of rayon. In the manufacture of rayon the yarn withdrawn from a coagulating bath is collected upon a foraminated cylindrical spinning spool or bobbin. The wound package is then subjected upon the spool to various after-treating operations such as washing, desulfurizing, bleaching and drying. The yarn shrinks upon drying and the inner layers adjacent the hard surface in production. A similarsituation arises when,

in order to meet the requirements of the fabric manufacturing trades, the twisted yarn is unwound from the twisting bobbin and reeled into skeins or the like. Theyarn nearest the twisting bobbin does not receive the same degree of twist as the upper layers and these inner layers are, therefore, left upon the bobbin for later removal.

The problem of finding a rapid and economical method of removing this residual or waste yarn from bobbins has occupied the rayon industry for many years. One method now in common use involves the employment of a knife or'similar instrument manually wielded by a skilled operator, whereby the yarn body, which has been previously moistened to decrease its resistance, is-

severed to facilitate its removal from its supporting bobbin. This method is relatively satisfactory, but is slow and hence expensive from the point of view of labor cost. Further, the'danger of injury to the surface of the bobbin by the edge of the knife is considerable and excessive bobbin replacement has been necessary.

In order to save time and labor and to increase the efllciency of the stripping operation, ma-

waste yarn thereon. In view of the danger of using a knife, the object of these machines has been generally to remove the Waste yarn by means not involving a cutting operation. One suggested method involved feeding waste-bearing bobbins to a machine, directing a current of air against the bobbin to loosen the yarn and rotating the bobbin in a direction counter to the direction in which yarn was wound, and then drawing off the waste yarn. This method has proved slow and cumbersome and therefore unsatisfactory. It has also been proposed to remove the waste by scraping; that is, by pushing the yarn body from one end of the bobbin to the other. With tightly packed bobbins, such as are produced in the rayon industry, this is impractical, and the danger of scoring the surface of the bobbin is not diminished.

It is generally conceded that the stripping of bobbins is accomplished most rapidly, efficiently and therefore economically if the yarn body can be severed by a hard cutting instrument. The yarn then falls away from the bobbin or is easily removed by hand. Due, however, to the danger of damaging the bobbin, the textile industry has avoided the use of hard cutting implements and has sought the solution to this problem in the use of knives or cutting wheels made of paper or soft rubber. These materials, however, while lessening the danger to the bobbin, are unsatisfactory for the reason that more time is required to sever the yarn and. frequent replacement of the cutting instrument is necessary.

U. S. Patent No. 1,109,949 discloses the use of a hard knife blade for severing yarn from the type of spools employed in weaving and like machines, wherein the spool is provided with a deep longitudinal groove in which a knife can be inserted. However, this apparatus is useful only with heavy-bodied spools in which a groove can be made without substantially weakening the mentioned diflicultles' and-in general, has for its object an apparatus for severing waste yarn from bobbins by means of a hard knife in such a way that the severance is expeditiously effected without injury to the bobbin surface.

According to this invention, waste-filled bobbins are periodically fed to a gripping means, the bobbin momentarily immobilized, for the automatic severance of the yarn therefrom during the gripping period, the bobbin discharged with the severed yarn clinging thereto, and the waste removed by spraying liquid from above upon the kerf in the yarn body made by the cutting blade thereby maintaining the safety advantages of stripping waste yam by hand, while effecting enormous savings in operating time.

These and other objects and advantages will appear more fully from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of this invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a preferred form of bobbin stripping machine constructed according to this invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine, a portion of the conveyor mechanism and the feed chute being eliminated for convenience in illustration;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken 'along the line 3-2 of Figure 2 and additionally illustrating the bobbin feed chute;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the discharge end of the conveyor mechanism;

Figure 'l is a detailed elevation to an enlarged scale of a cutter member in operative position,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the cutter member per se,

Figure 9 is a front view of the lower portion of the cutter member; and

Figure 10 is a view of the lower portion of the cutter member from the rear.

In the drawings, the numeral l designates generally a frame in which the bobbin stripping mechanism is mounted, and 2 a flat table provided with a cut out portion at 3 for the accommodation of an endless conveyor for feeding waste-filled bobbins to and discharging waste free bobbins from operative relation with the stripper mechanism.

According to the invention, waste-bearing bobbins are periodically fed to an endless conveyor and periodically advanced thereby to a position adjacent the stripper mechanism. Here each bobbin is temporarily immobilized for the severance of the yarn body by the cutting blade of the stripper mechanism; the conveyor is then again actuated to move the bobbin with the severed waste clinging thereto out of operative relation with the stripper and to bring a succeeding bobbin into position. Once the yarn on the bobbin is severed it is carried along by the conveyor and passed below spraying devices which direct a liquid against the upper surface of the bobbin, thus dislodging the yarn therefrom to complete the stripping operation. The waste yarn, as it drops from the bobbin is caught in a basket while the spray liquid is carried off in a trough mounted therebelow. The empty bobbins are discharged from the conveyor and may be picked up by hand or may be allowed to drop from the conveyor into a box or other suitable container. The mechanisms for operating the conveyor and yarn severing mechanism are controlled from a common ,drive shaft, and are so coordinated that during the time the bobbin is immobilized for the yarn severing operation the cutting blade twice traverses the length of the bobbin to insure severance of all of the coils of yarn.

Mounted upon table 2 at opposite sides of the cut-out at 2 are brackets 4 and I supporting therebetween a guide rod 0, the ends of which are fixed in bosses I and 4 at the upper ends of the brackets. The guide rod functions as a guide and support for a reciprocating mechanism bearing the cutting means designed to sever the body of yarn on the bobbin. Projecting upwardly from boss 1 is an extension 9 bifurcated to receive one end of a lifter rod Ill pivotally mountedupon a pin II in extension 4, the purpose of said lifter rod being to raise the cutter blade out of contact with the bobbin during the second return stroke of the reciprocating mechanism after the yarn body on the bobbin has been severed. Lifter rod II is spaced vertically from and lies in a plane parallel to guide rod t, its other end extending beyond and resting in a bifurcated extension member l2 projecting upwardly from boss 8 of bracket 5.

A sleeve i3 is mounted upon guide rod 6 for reciprocating engagement therewith and is provided with a crosshead l4 terminating in a boss I! having a central bore through which is passed a pin or bolt II. The forked ends of a cutter bar I8 and a connecting rod I! are pivotally mounted upon bolt i1 and are held in place by means of nut 24 and lock nut 2|.

In order to raise the cutter bar It on its return stroke after performing a waste-cutting operation a lifting assembly is provided comprising a pair of lifter links 22 and 23, the lower ends of which are loosely bolted to opposite sides of the cutter bar by a bolt 24 and nut 25, the upper ends of the lifter links being connected by a roller 26 adapted to rest upon the top of lifter rod Ill. Roller 26 is loosely mounted upon a bolt 21 passing through the lifter links and fastened by nuts 28 and 29. Lifter links 22 and 22 are provided with slots 30 and 3|, respectively, for sliding engagement with bolts 22 and 23 inserted in opposite sides of sleeve l2.

At the forward end of cutter bar It is a cutter blade 34 comprising a wedge-shaped portion fastened in a V-shaped slot in the end of the cutter bar by means of bolt 35; The cutter has a downwardly extending shank 28 provided with a forward cutting edge 31 and a forwardly and downwardly projecting foot 28. The lower surface of the foot is made arcuate to ilt the surface of a bobbin, and the upper surface is beveled to adapt it for insertion under the coils of yarn on the bobbin. During a cutting operation the cutter bar I! is maintained paralled to guide bar 6 and lifter bar I! by means of a spring 39 placed between the cutter bar and sleeve l3, and supported by a pin 40 passing through spring holders 4| and 42 and cutter bar l8, and screwthreaded in the latter for easy adjustment of the spring tension. Of course, spring 39 serves resiliently to hold foot 38 against the bobbin being subjected to treatment.

Sleeve I3 is further provided at its forward end with a downwardly extending shank 43 terminating in a boss 44 having a central bore screwthreaded to receive a pusher rod 45 held in position by a nut 46. Pusher rod 45 is provided with a bifurcated portion 41 adapted to accommodate projecting forks 53.

a roller 48 and is so adjusted that the roller rides with the traverse mechanism in advance of the cutter blade. The function of pusher rod 45 is to operate a lifter fork, the tines of which are adapted for insertion under, and lifting of the yarn body at the far end of the bobbin in order to place it in the path of the cutter blade 31 and insure the severance of the yarn body at that end. To accomplish this purpose roller 48 at the end of pusher rod 45 engages a lifter link 49 fulcrumed upon a pin 50 between the arms of bracket 4. Lifter link 49 is narrowed at its base for insertion and pivotal mounting in a slot in lifter 52 which is provided with two forwardly Lifter 52 is biased to retracted position by springs 54, connected to a member 55 affixed to bracket 4. Bolted to meme adapted to rest upon lifter 52.

cutter blade to insure their severance thereby.

Connecting rod I9, pivoted at one end on bolt II is rotatably mounted at its other end upon a bolt 58 set in'a crank wheel 59 near the peof nut 60 and lock nut 6|. Rotation of crank wheel. 59, therefore, initiates the traverse move- I her 55 is a stop member 56 carryin 11 f'5 1""" rying the cam roller 84 is screw-threaded to receive a plunger rod 9| fastened securely to the crosshead by nuts 92 and 93. The other end of plunger rod 9I is screwed into a plunger 94 of 7 larger diameter than the plunger rod, said plung-" er being supported in bearing 85, carried by bracket 96 amxed to the table top. A tight connection is maintained between plunger rod 9| and plunger 94 by means of a nut 91. Plunger 94 is adapted to reciprocate in bearing 95 and terminates in an enlarged frusto-conical member 98 "forms an abutment for the other end of spring- I00. Spring I00 serves to bias plunger 94 toward riphery thereof 'a'nd'heldin position by means.

insertion in the open end of the bobbin, retractionof crosshead 80 causing the plunger to. be Withdrawn.

Aflixed to the base-of crosshead 80, at a point on a vertical line below its connection with plunger rod 9| ,"is a connecting rod I03 secured I by means of nuts, I04 and I05. Connecting rod I03 lies in a plane parallel-to cutter bar I8, and its other end terminates-in a coupling I06 bear-v -'ing apin I'II'I, upon which one end of a link I08 is ment of the cutter mechanism previously described. Crank wheel 59 is fixed upon one end of main drive shaft 62 supported in bearings63 and 84 on standards 65 and 56 and driven by second sprocket wheel I6 fixed on doffer shaft II, which controls the mechanism by which the waste-bearing bobbins are fed to the cutting mechanism and doffed after stripping is complete. Doffer shaft 11 has its ends mounted in hearings in standard 18 and bracket 5. Bracket 5 is bifurcated to receive a cam I9 fixed upon shaft II and mounted between the arms of a crosshead 80 having slots 8| therein for sliding engagement with the shaft 11. Crosshead 80 is further provided at its end with a shaft 83 fixed between the arms thereof, upon which is mounted in bearings a cam following roller 84, actuated by cam I9 at each revolution of doffer shaft II and adapted to contact the lower surface of a link 85, one end of which is mounted for rotation on an axle 86 fixed between arms 81 and. 88, projecting from bracket 5. The other end of link 85 is pivotally connected to the two arms of a connecting link 89, the other end of the latter being pivotally connected to lifter rod I0 by a bolt 89. main drive shaft 62 to that of doffer shaft II is two-to-one, crank wheel 59 makes two revolutions for each revolution of cam I9, so that after two strokes of cutting member 34, cam I9 0perates to raise lifter rod I0, and with it the cutter 34 during its second return stroke. Lifter rod I0 is raised when cam I9 causes cam roller 84 to press against the lower surface of link 85. Coincident with this action, crosshead 80, in the end of which the cam roller 84'is mounted, is retracted, releasing the mechanism by which the bobbin is held during the cutting operation.

Inasmuch as the ratio of rotation of pivotally mounted. The opposite end of link I08 15 nsertedin a slot I09 provided in plunger H0, and 1s mounted'for pivotal movement therein by means of a bolt III. Link I08 is further pivoted at a point intermediate its ends upon a pin II2 mounted between arm 3 and II4 secured to the walls of bracket 4. Plunger IIO is supported in a guide II5 inbracket 4 and terminates in a frusto-conical member II6 positioned opposite to frusto-conical member 98 and adapted to engage the opposite open end of waste-bearing bobbin 99. Plunger I I0 is biased to the bobbin-engaging position by springs III and II8 attached to opposite ends of a crosspiece I I9, passed through the end of the plunger. The ends of springs I II and II8 remote from the connection to crosspiece II9 are affixed to member 4 as shown in Figure 2. It will be seen that when cam 19, during rotation, presses against cam roller 84, plungers 94 and I I0 are simultaneously retracted out of engagement with bobbin 89.

Doffer shaft 11, in addition to carrying the cam I9, which operates the cutter lifting and bobbin clamping mechanism, also controls the movement of the endless conveyor by which bobbins The end of crosshead opposite the end car- 7 are conveyed to and discharged from the stripper mechanism and subsequently conveyed to the spraying device. For this purpose, doffer shaft 'II carries a miter gear I20 meshing with a bevel gear |2| affixed to a shaft I22, mounted in bearings in pillow block I23. Shaft I22. carries a sprocket wheel I24 which, through the intermediary of chain I25 and a second sprocket wheel I26, amxed to a shaft I2I, drives the conveyor mechanism. The periodic advance of the conveyor is efiected by providing miter gear I20 with teeth I28 on only a small are of its periphery, so that meshing with gear wheel |2I occurs for only a short period for each revolution .of the gear I20.

Shaft I21, from which the endless conveyor is driven, has its ends mounted in hearings in pillow blocks I29 and I30, and carries in addition to sprocket wheel I 26, a pair of spaced sprockets I3 I and I32, designed to mesh respectively with end less conveyor chains I33 and I34, the opposite ends of which mesh with sprockets I55 and I54 amxed to shaft I51, the ends of which are mounted in bearings in pillow blocks I55 and I55.

Intermediate the pairs of sprockets, the con veyor chains are supported by runners I40 and I4 I Every third link of conveyor chains I55 and I34 is provided with a forked bobbin holder cradle I44 adapted to fit the outer surface of a bobbin, the holders on opposite conveyor chains cradling opposite ends of the bobbin. The base of each holder I44 is provided with a flange I45 fastened by means of a bolt to a. flange I41 of the inner half of the conveyor chain link.

Thus, opposite ends of a bobbin are supported by oppositely disposed holders I44. when a bobbin carried along by the conveyor reaches a position in axial alignment with plungers 54 and III, its ends are engaged and tightly held by frustoconical members 55 and H5, due to the biasing action of springs I00, III and H5.

It will now be seen that, due to the ratio of rotation between main drive shaft 52' and dofler shaft 11, crank wheel 55 revolves twice for each revolution of miter gear I20 and cam 15. Therefore, when a bobbin has been placed in position 101 yarn severing, the reciprocating mechanism carrying the cutter blade twice traverses the length of the bobbin before same is doffed. After traveling across the bobbin the second time. and upon initiating its return trip, the teeth on miter gear I20 begin to mesh with the teeth I25 of gear wheel I2I, and at the same time cam engages cam roller 84. As cam 15 rotates it engages cam roller 54 and urges it against link 45, thus raising litter rod I0 through the medium of connecting link 89, and lifting cutter blade 54 out of contact with the bobbin.

As cam roller 84 is displaced, crosshead 50 is retracted and plungers 54 and llll disengaged from the open ends of the bobbin. At the same time, miter gear I meshes with gear 'wheel Hi, the conveyor mechanism is actuated, and a new waste-filled bobbin carried into position between plungers 94 and H0. The teeth I on miter ear i'iu then move out Oi engagement with'gear Wile1 HI, and cam 15 passes from contact with roller 84, causing spring-biased plungers 54 and Ho to engage the newly positioned and immobilized bobbin.

At the beginning of a cutting operation cutter forward and downward upon the bobbin, contact-- ing the lowermost coils of yarn and raising them to insure their severance by the cutting blade.

The bobbins, bearing waste which has been Dl'eViOuSiY moistened by any suitable means in order to decrease its resistance to the cutting operation, are periodically fed to the stripping machine from a chute I48. This chute comprises an inclined base I supported by standards I and I52. The base of the chute is provided with flanges I52 and I53, offset inwardly to form guide tracks in which the rim of the bobbin rides on its way to the conveyor mechanism. Oppositely disposed guide tracks I54 and I55 are further provided, which serve the purpose of additionally confining and preventing displacement of the a,sos,o48

bobbin. The lower ends of guide tracks I54 and I55 are amxed to standards I50 and III and are curved downward to direct the bobbins into the holders I44 of the conveyor mechanism. The other ends are aiilxed to uprights I55 and I51. Intermediate the ends guide tracks I55 are connected by crosspiece I55.

The bobbins are retained in the chute until the conveyor mechanism is ready to receive them, by means of a crossbar I55, which is, in eifect, an extension of the base I45. Crossbar I55 is amxed to a rod I50 by means of flanges I 5i and I52, forming disconnected extensions of flanges I52 and I55. The ends of rod I55 are pivotally mounted in bearings in standards I50 and IN. The end of rod I50 projecting beyond standard I50 is inserted in a boss I55 at the end of a lever I54 and is afllxed thereto by a set screw I55, Crossbar I55 is biased to the closed position, that is, the position in which it acts as a stop for the bobbins, by a spring I55, one end of which is attached to lever I54 and the other end to bracket 4. The opposite end of lever I54 is pivotally connected to a link I51 by means of a bolt I55 mounted for sliding engagement in a slot I55. Link I51 is ful'crumed about a bolt I10 aflxed to standard I50, and its free end extending downward in the path of pins III, which project at spaced points near the periphery of a wheel I12 mounted upon drive shaft I21 for the bobbin conveyor. During each periodic rotation of shaft I21, wheel I12 turns, and one of the pins I'II contacts the free end of link I51, causing it to rotate about its point of pivot and, through the medium of lever I64, causing crossbar I55 to be depressed, thus allowing a bobbin to drop from the chute to the conveyor at the completion of the movement of the latter.

The bobbin conveyor is actuated periodically to convey successive waste-filled bobbins to a position in axial alignment with plungers 54 and H0. These intervals, as stated before, are controlled by the number of teeth with which miter gear I20 is provided. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the teeth cover only a small arc of the gears surface, so that with each revolution of miter gear I20 its teeth I25 mesh with gear wheel I2I for an interval suiilcient to discharge a stripped bobbin from between plungers "and H0 and replace it with a succeeding waste-filled bobbin. As already explained, the period during which the bobbin is immobilized, that is, the period during which the conveyor is not actuated, is sumcient to allow the cutter blade to pass twice from one end of the bobbin to the other. Each movement of the conveyor causes suflicient movement of wheel I12 to cause member I55 to release one bobbin.

After the body of waste yarn has been cut and the bobbins discharged from the cutter, they are advanced to the end of the machine. Suspended above the conveyor are one or more pipes I15, closed at one end and connected by pipes I14 to a common conduit I15, leading to a source of water supply. Pipes I15 are provided on their under surface with orifices I15 from which water is discharged upon the bobbins as they pass thereunder. Pipes I15are so spaced that each lies vertically above and in axial alignment with a bobbin when it is rendered periodically stationary due to the intermittent movement of the conveyor. The spray is discharged radially of the bobbin into the kerf in the yarn body made by the cutter blade, The moist waste yarn clinging to the bobbin is thus removed. The waste yarn drops into a wire basket I'll and the water carried off in a trough I18 situated therebelow. The empty bobbins continue to travel with the conveyor until they reach a curved platform I19 supported by standard I80 aiiixed to crosspiece l8l. As the bobbins move up platform I19 they are lifted out of holders I and are removed by hand or drop from the end of the platform into a basket or other suitable container.

It is to be noted that two trips of the cutting blade are provided merely as a safety measure to insure the cutting of all coils of yarn. With this method of operation, bobbins pass through the machine at the rate of forty-three per minute. However, it is obvious that if the second stroke of the cutter mechanism is eliminated this speed may be doubled. Inasmuchas the speed ratio of drive shaft 62 to doiier shaft I1 is two-to-one the single stroke of thecutter may..

be eggcted bymsimply substitutingin place of without departing from the spirit of theinven- 'tion or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In-an apparatus for automatically removing waste yarn from bobbins, means for gripping and holding the'0PHQ 1t8. .ndS of, a bobbin,

gripping and holding means, power means for alternately actuating said feeding means and said gripping and holding means, reciprocating cutting means arranged to move axially of a gripped bobbin between the surface thereof and v means .for periodically "feedi'ri'g bobbins to said v ments upon completion of each movement of said the yarn thereon to sever the coils of the latter,

and means for driving said cutting means during the gripping period of said gripping and holding means.

2. In an apparatus for automatically removing waste yarn from bobbins, means for holding a bobbin in fixed position, means for periodically successively feeding -a plurality of bobbins to said holding means, power means for alternately actuating said feeding means and said holding means, reciprocating cutting means arranged to move axially of a bobbin supported by said holding means, said cutting means includ- 4 ing a bobbin-contacting foot portion of a contour conforming to that of the surface of a bobbin and an upstanding cutting edge arranged to sever the coils of the yarn raised from the surface of the bobbin by said foot, and means for driving said cutting means during the holding period of said holding means.

3. In an apparatus for automatically removing waste yarn from bobbins, a conveyor for supporting simultaneously a plurality of bobbins in equally spaced relationship, said conveyor being periodically moved to an extent' equal to the distance between bobbins, means for successively gripping opposite ends of each bobbin during a period of immobilization thereof, reciprocating cutting means arranged to move axially of the gripped bobbin between the surface thereof and the yarn thereon to sever the coils of the latter, and means for intermittent- ,means and said cutting means.

4. In an apparatus for automatically removing waste yarn from, bobbins, a conveyor for supporting simultaneously a plurality of bobbins in equally spacedv relationship, said conveyor being periodically moved to an extent equal to the distance between bobbins, means for successively gripping opposite ends of each bobbin during a period of immobilization thereof, a reciprocating mechanism arranged to move axially of a gripped bobbin, cutting means affixed to said reciprocating mechanism, said cutting means having a foot arranged for insertion under the coils of yarn at one end of said bobbin, means driven by said reciprocating mechanism for raising the coils of yarn at the opposite endof said bobbin in the path of said cutting means, and means for intermittently driving said conveyor and, during the period in which I the conveyor is immobilized, ,said means concur; rentlyactuating said gripping means and said cutting means. v

5. Apparatus for successively stripping yarn?" conveyor, means disposed adjacent a subsequent station for severing the yarn body on a bobbin, a plurality of means disposed adjacent stations subsequent to that at which severing occurs for removing the yarn body from the bobbin while said bobbin is carried by said conveyor, and

a means for actuating said severing means intermediate each movement of said conveyor.

6. Apparatus for successively stripping yarn from a plurality of bobbins comprising, an endless conveyor provided with apIurality of equally spaced bobbin holding elements, means for periodically and intermittently moving said conveyor a distance equal to that between holding elements to cause each of said elements successively to occupy equidistant stations, a bobbin storage chute adjacent one station, said chute having a discharge mouth arranged to register with a bobbin carrying element, means actuated by said conveyor moving means for discharging a bobbin from said chute onto one of said elements upon completion of each movement of said conveyor, means disposed adjacent a subsequent station for severing the yarn body on a bobbin while said bobbin is carried by said conveyor, and means for actuating said severing means inter- .inediate each movement of said conveyor.

. tant stations, a bobbin storage chute adjacent 1y driving said conveyor and, during the period one station, said chute having a discharg mouth arranged to register with a bobbin carrying element, means associated with said conveyor movi ing means for discharging a bobbin from said chute onto one of said elements upon completion of each movement of said conveyor, means disposed adjacent a subsequent station for severing along a straight line the yarn body on a bobbin, means disposed adjacent a station subsequent to that at which severing occurs fo'r.. spraying a fluid on said yarn body along the line of severance thereof to remove said body fromsaid bobbin, and means for actuating said severing means intermediate each movement of said conveyor.

8. Apparatus for successively stripping yarn from a plurality of bobbinscomprising, an endless conveyor provided with a plurality of equally spaced bobbin holding elements, means for periodically moving said conveyor a distance equal to that between holding elements to cause each of said elements successively to occupy equidistant stations, a bobbin storage chute adjacent one station, said chute having a discharge mouth arranged to register with a bobbin carrying element, means associated with said conveyor moving means for discharging a bobbin from said chute onto one of said elements upon completion of each movement of said conveyor, means disposed adjacent a subsequent station for severing along a straight line the yarn body on a bobbin, means disposed adjacent a station subsequent to that at which severing occurs for spraying a fluid on said yarn body along the line of severance thereof to remove said body from said bobbin, means for actuating said severing means intermediate each movement of said conveyor, and means for successively removing stripped bobbins from said conveyor at a station subsequent to that at which spraying occurs.

9. Apparatus for successively stripping yarn from a plurality of bobbins comprising, an endless conveyor provided with a plurality of equally spaced bobbin holding cradles, means for periodically moving said conveyor a distance equal to that between cradles to cause each of said cradles successively to occupy equidistant stations, a bobbin storage chute adjacent one station, said chute having a discharge mouth arranged to register with a bobbin carrying cradle, means associated with said conveyor moving means for discharging a bobbin from said chute onto one of said cradles upon completion of each' movement of said conveyor, means disposed adjacent the next station for severing along a straight line the yarn body on a bobbin, means for holding the bobbin during severing, means disposed adjacent stations subsequent to that at which severing occurs for spraying a washing liquid on said yarn body along the line of severance thereof to remove said body from said bobbin and to wash the latter, means for actuating said severing and holding means intermediate each movement of said conveyor. and means for successively removing bobbins from said cradles at a station subsequent to that at which washing occurs.

10. A bobbin stripping machine comprising in combination, an endless conveyor, means for feeding waste-filled bobbins to said conveyor, a reciprocating mechanism positioned above said conveyor adapted to move in a horizontal plane axially of said bobbins, a knife blade afiixed to said reciprocating mechanism, said knife blade having an upright cutting edge and an arcuate foot shaped to fit the surface of a bobbin and to ride along the surface thereof without injury thereto, means actuated by said reciprocating mechanism arranged to engage the coils of yarn at oneend of said bobbin and raise them in the path of said cutting edge, a main drive shaft from which said reciprocating mechanism is driven, a secondary drive shaft driven from said main drive shaft, means associated with said secondary drive shaft for driving said endless conveyor at spaced intervals, means actuated in timed relationship with the movement of said endless conveyor for holding successive bobbins stationary during two strokes of said reciprocating mechanism, and means associated with said endless conveyor for removing the severed yarn from said bobbins.

MOULTON L. HUDSON. 

